The advantages of the bicycle as an economical, healthful, ecological and enjoyable means of transportation and recreation are being recognized by increasing numbers of people. However, one problem which has deterred more widespread use of the bicycle has been the lack of a general purpose carrying bag which is suited both for use as a hand bag and as an easily attached and detached bike bag. On the one hand, most conventional hand bags are not designed to be readily mounted on a bicycle, and mounting thereof generally requires that such a bag be strapped onto the bicycle with separate mounting straps which are inconvenient and time-consuming to use. On the other hand, most conventional bike bags are specially designed only for use on bicycles, which design renders such bags akward to use as hand bags. Further, in order to be securely mounted on a bicycle, the typical conventional bike bag is provided with relatively elaborate mounting apparatus which does not allow simple or quick attachment and detachment of the bag.
Convertible hand-to-bicycle bags are not unknown in the prior art. Two examples of which applicant is aware are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,786,972 (Alley); and 3,955,728 (Jackson et al.). The Alley patent discloses a combination carrier which is convertible from a rack-mounted bicycle pannier bag to a valise and to a back pack. The Jackson et al. patent discloses a bicycle handlebar which employs "Velcro" fasteners that can be adapted to form a bag strap for use of the bag as a shoulder bag. However, such prior art convertible bags suffer from a number of disadvantages, a principal one of which is that separate, specialized mounting members and handles are provided, respectively, for attachment of the bags to bicycles and for handcarrying of the bags. As a consequence, such convertible bags are relatively expensive to manufacture, and relatively complicated and inconvenient to convert from bicycle to hand use.